{"id":28119,"date":"2020-03-11T06:48:35","date_gmt":"2020-03-11T06:48:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/?p=28119"},"modified":"2020-06-28T23:38:05","modified_gmt":"2020-06-28T23:38:05","slug":"vinyl-mastering-everything-you-need-to-know-to-get-it-right","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/vinyl-mastering-everything-you-need-to-know-to-get-it-right\/","title":{"rendered":"VINYL MASTERING: Everything you need to know to get it right"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

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Before we start with specific steps and hacks for vinyl mastering, the #1 tip we can give you for a seamless vinyl mastering and manufacturing is this:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

HIRE A PROFESSIONAL MASTERING ENGINEER!<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

And not just a regular mastering engineer, but a mastering engineer that has a lot of experience in vinyl mastering because mastering vinyl is difference from mastering digital releases<\/a>. A master engineer does exactly understand the boundaries where mastering meets cutting and cutting meets vinyl pressing<\/a> for an optimized result of the highest order possible. The final product of vinyl is essential with an ace sound of vinyl mastering!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

If you DIY or hire an engineer who has zero experience with vinyl mastering, then your risk of producing a bad vinyl record in high. You can try the DIY route but it could cost you time and money. You might even have to redo everything.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

However, as the client, it\u2019s of course good to read this guide to be aware of the basics of mastering and manufacturing vinyl. When your engineer tells you technical things say, he wants to minimize the bass, then you understand what he\u2019s talking about. Vinyl pressing<\/a> requires that everything must be perfect before you even press hundreds of records and a professional vinyl mastering engineer will make sure you achieve it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Some things you should know when vinyl mastering:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

#1 Volume and bass directly affect audio capacity.<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Unlike with CDs, there is a limitation in the amount of recording time on each side of a record. The factors that affect what you can put in each side are the cutting level (volume) and the amount of bass you have in your music. The higher the volume and the more bass you have in your album, the more space it takes up.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The aim to have excellent sound quality and yet provide adequate playing time has been the greatest challenge of vinyl but it remains to be a great way to experience music.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

#2 If you want to put more music, here are your options:<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

RPM affects quality and audio capacity. The faster a record turns, the better the audio sounds and the lesser the chance of music to get distorted. That means, in general 45RPM sounds better than 33RPM. However, the higher the RPM, the lesser amount of music it can hold (approx 25% lesser).\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u00a0<\/td>\r\n33 RPM<\/td>\r\n45 RPM<\/td>\r\n78 RPM<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
7\u201d<\/td>\r\n6 min<\/td>\r\n4.5 min<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
10\u201d<\/td>\r\n12 min<\/td>\r\n9 min<\/td>\r\n4 min<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
12\u201d<\/td>\r\n18 min<\/td>\r\n12 min<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

* Take note: Not all turntables can play 78RPM<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

To get the best compromise for your high frequency\/loud music, we recommend you get the 12\u201d for a maximum of 12 min.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

FROM JAMES, OUR CEO:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201c<\/em><\/strong>From my experience, if you\u2019re pressing a 12-inch vinyl (with max 22 minutes per side), don\u2019t use up all 22 minutes. In fact, don\u2019t go past 17 minutes. I hear you, and yes I have lost many customers to this issue. You can, in theory, go up to 22 minutes but people, please, the risk of DISTORTION goes up every minute you go past that mark.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

So what if you really have to put 22- 30 minute of audio per side? Yes, I can get your 22 \u2013 24 \u2013 30 minute of audio onto SIDE A or SIDE B, but you know what I\u2019m going to do to achieve that? It\u2019s something you might not like. I\u2019m going to compress the sh*t out of it\u2026which I won\u2019t do. Why? Because it changes the integrity of the music. It would just sound like an MP3, but the most expensive MP3 in the world. Why make a vinyl if you won\u2019t make it sound like a vinyl? Just make MP3 and save your money.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

#3 Loud, heavy tracks should be placed at the beginning to prevent distortion.<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Louder, heavier tracks should be placed at the beginning to prevent inner-groove distortion. When the needle gets closer to the center of the record (meaning, the end of the side), there\u2019s a chance there\u2019ll be slight distortion. If you put your heavy tracks here, it will be more obvious. The standard rule is to put the louder\/heavier tracks at the beginning and the ones with lower frequency in the end. That\u2019s the safest way to arrange your songs in vinyl.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

#4 Because of the things mentioned above and more, <\/strong>you should make a separate master for vinyl.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

It\u2019s not going to sound the same. It\u2019s just not. If you use the master you made for your CD\u00a0 as the master for your vinyl, that\u2019s fine but don\u2019t expect it to sound the same. That is why we suggest to anyone pressing vinyl that if you have the money, make a vinyl master.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

If you have a master for CD, here are the additional changes you should do to make it vinyl-ready. Talk to your vinyl mastering guy and make sure you:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n